While the nation’s first subway system once represented the height of technology, leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority recently utilized a low-tech doodle.In a discussion about lessons learned from a recent Red Line derailment which resulted in confusion among both riders and reporters, the general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority used a flow-chart to illustrate the twisting flow of information through the organization. It was illustrated with 13 stick figures representing various teams of employees.The derailment, which occurred on Feb. 21, damaged about 300 feet of third rail outside Andrew Station. General Manager Luis Manuel Ramirez’s flow chart illustrated for members of the Fiscal and Management Control Board the flow of information between departments of the MBTA and the public. Pathways drawn toward the top of the chart show how information is distributed to the public through announcements, the call center, Twitter and other digital tools. The considerably more complicated set of pathways toward the bottom of the chart illustrate communication with the press and with the staff operating the buses which temporarily replaced the damaged subway line. “Information travels a complex and complicated path,” Ramirez’s presentation said. MBTA officials originally said the incident was due to a motor failure, but later said that the train had also derailed and “re-railed itself” as it entered the station. Riders exited safely at the platform but said they experienced confusion amidst a cloud of smoke and several broken windows. Over the next hour, the MBTA reported delays as “minor,” “moderate” and eventually, “severe.” While the Red Line was under repair for about eight hours, huge crowds were seen surging toward transportation alternatives including buses and the commuter rail. Meanwhile, the Boston Fire Department said the light smoke in the station did not trigger any alarms and that no MBTA official had called to report the incident. In a subsequent meeting between the fire commissioner and transportation leaders, the fire department was assured that such an oversight would not happen again. “As a situation evolves, need to make sure customer-facing channels are updated accordingly,” Ramirez’s presentation said. Ramirez set out five guiding principles for customer communications in his presentation: Over communicateBe consistentBe transparentBe helpfulBe considerateThe MBTA also recently posted a job seeking a chief customer experience officer who will be assigned to improving communication between the agency and the customers they serve. For a salary of between $113,980 and $151,525, the chief customer experience officer will oversee 6-7 employees and lead projects such as improving messaging to riders. The chief customer experience officer role didn’t have a stick figure of its own on Ramirez’s flow chart, but perhaps it would be considered part of the Operations Control Center or Public Relations teams.

BOSTON —

While the nation’s first subway system once represented the height of technology, leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority recently utilized a low-tech doodle.

In a discussion about lessons learned from a recent Red Line derailment which resulted in confusion among both riders and reporters, the general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority used a flow-chart to illustrate the twisting flow of information through the organization. It was illustrated with 13 stick figures representing various teams of employees.

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The derailment, which occurred on Feb. 21, damaged about 300 feet of third rail outside Andrew Station.

General Manager Luis Manuel Ramirez’s flow chart illustrated for members of the Fiscal and Management Control Board the flow of information between departments of the MBTA and the public. Pathways drawn toward the top of the chart show how information is distributed to the public through announcements, the call center, Twitter and other digital tools. The considerably more complicated set of pathways toward the bottom of the chart illustrate communication with the press and with the staff operating the buses which temporarily replaced the damaged subway line.

MBTA officials originally said the incident was due to a motor failure, but later said that the train had also derailed and “re-railed itself” as it entered the station. Riders exited safely at the platform but said they experienced confusion amidst a cloud of smoke and several broken windows.

Over the next hour, the MBTA reported delays as “minor,” “moderate” and eventually, “severe.”

While the Red Line was under repair for about eight hours, huge crowds were seen surging toward transportation alternatives including buses and the commuter rail.

Meanwhile, the Boston Fire Department said the light smoke in the station did not trigger any alarms and that no MBTA official had called to report the incident. In a subsequent meeting between the fire commissioner and transportation leaders, the fire department was assured that such an oversight would not happen again.

Ramirez set out five guiding principles for customer communications in his presentation:

Over communicate

Be consistent

Be transparent

Be helpful

Be considerate

The MBTA also recently posted a job seeking a chief customer experience officer who will be assigned to improving communication between the agency and the customers they serve.

For a salary of between $113,980 and $151,525, the chief customer experience officer will oversee 6-7 employees and lead projects such as improving messaging to riders.

The chief customer experience officer role didn’t have a stick figure of its own on Ramirez’s flow chart, but perhaps it would be considered part of the Operations Control Center or Public Relations teams.